Car Overheated / Overheating / Overheats [MERGED]

[NTRCOOL]

OVERHEATING? The issues and their solutions have remained the same- either you don't have enough cool air reaching the rad, there's a cooling system obstruction which is preventing coolant from circulating, or your head gasket has failed and is allowing coolant to be consumed or pushed away from the engine.

Discuss all possible overheating problems and solutions here.


OK,
I just left my house to go over to my GF's,and happen to look down and see my needle right before the red mark. This just happened out of nowhere. I stop the car as quickly as i can, and pour in some coolant(Coolant a little low). Still same thing. Welp im in the middle of the road, and HAD to get it home. Im only 5 min from my house. I decided to try and make it(I really had no other choice). Welp I drive no faster than 20mph, and the temp needle is BARELY into the red the whole way.And occasionaly to the left of it. Am I ok?? Do ya think any damage was done?? And im thinking either thermostat, or water pump. For each of those, whats a round about $$ figure to get replaced?? Any info you have would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[pilsner]

Originally posted by Blocordi
The radiator cap is designed to let out some water into the expansion bottle as it heats up. As the water cools off and the pressure drops the radiator should draw the water back in.

yeah, but not 2-4 litres. this game sucks, i don't want to play anymore. (but if i want my car, i guess i have to. )
would it be very noticeable when the hose collapses, or do i have to sit there for a while?

 

[Blocordi]

You'll see it. Once the thermostat is open,usually you just have to give the engine a big rev and the hose will completely collapse until opposite sides are touching each other. Alternatly hold the revs between three and four and squeeze the top hose in yourself. It should pop straight back out.

 

[ltvarney]

Top off your coolant, and idle the car until it gets warm. When you feel the radiator hose warm up as the coolant starts flowing, check to see if the overflow hose from the overflow tank is pushing coolant out onto the ground. At this time you can also check for coolant steaming from a worn seal or a pinhole in a coolant line. If the coolant is coming from a worn seal or pinhole, you should smell a sickly sweet odor. You might not even see it if it becomes water vapor so quick, but you should smell it.

 

[Blocordi]

Just a thought. There isn't any cracks in the turbo housing is there? It would either evaporate in the exhaust or end up in the intercooler. You've got me pretty much stumped.

 

[TKI]

Ok, here goes. Tonight as I was on my way to a friends house my car was running at normal operating temp., but the heat was cold. Also, the temp hand would go up about 3/4 on the gauge then just fall back down after a second or two.

When the hand goes up, it doesn't stay up. It just goes up for a few seconds, then just falls back to normal.

Would it be the thermostat??

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[NOSNUSE]

you need more coolent in the system, try that and see if it helps.

 

[boosted_91_tsi]

Do you notice it leaking anywhere??... Your heater hoses may be cracked around the clamp and you are loosing antifreeze there.....Just a thought.

 

[pilsner]

Originally posted by ltvarney
If the coolant is coming from a worn seal or pinhole, you should smell a sickly sweet odor. You might not even see it if it becomes water vapor so quick, but you should smell it.

would that leak show up under a pressure test? if so, then i can tell you that's not my problem. i'll try and check it out though.
i haven't actually checked the turbo housing yet, i'll do that tomorrow.
as for the hoses, they're fine, not squishy. pretty strange, eh? ah well, back to the idea/drawing board.

 

[Wizard]

WOW.....

ok, first, with the car cold, remove the radiator cap to it off. Also fill the overflow to the min. mark. Now with the radiator cap off, start the car. With it running, top it off. Watch the temp gauge. Once it reaches near the middle mark you should see the coolant start to flow (means the thermostat has opened). Which will also show you that your water pump is good and radiator is ok. After that, the fans should kick on. Also observe for air bubbles constantly in the coolant.

If all of those are ok, it could be your headgasket. Headgaskets can go both ways. (1) leaky headgasket where the coolant is dumped into the combustion chamber, white smoke, missing, coolant in oil, etc. (2) 'Blown' headgasket where the compression air charge seeps into the coolant system and gradually dumps coolant from the overflow until you are out of coolant. This can be checked with the rad cap off and you'll see air or coolant getting pushed out.

Wiz

 

[pilsner]

yes, everything you mentioned in the beginning is fine. as for the h/g; would a pressure test on the coolant system followed by a co2 test on the cylinders not show that? i've had my mechanic try to figure this out, and he's ruled out the h/g, so unless he somehow messed up, i dunno. i haven't checked the turbo housing yet, and i don't know if he checked that either. any more suggestions? thanks, so far!

 

[91eclipseGS]

okay my car is overheating and my fans only come on when i turn on the AC, if the sensor is blown, would that make the car overheat

 

[91eclipseGS]

can the sensor being bad cause the car to overheat

 

[TODD DA HUSTLA]

the a/c fan is suppose to only come on wen ur air conditioning fan is on..the fan on ur left side.....ur cooling fan.....make sure all ur sensors are ok....a faulty sensor wont trigger the fan to come on..also check the ground wires..make sure ur fan isnt blown..could have blown out ....check and see if it spins freely....if it is u can use the a/c fan for cooling if ur strapped for cash....also check the fan relay switch under the hood....that can also be shot ...causing ur fans not to come on...

 

[Defiant]

Originally posted by tsumujikaze
My 95 Eclipse GS keeps overheating and it cant idle without overheating.

How do you mean "overheating"? Is it just the gauge needle reading high, or IS the motor exhibiting overheating: fast idle, ping or knock, running-on? If it's just your gauge, start with the temp sender and wiring.

 

[jguenter]

then after you fix your problem flush and refill your radiator with wetter water that stuff is awsome really works good but if you live in a cold climate you cant use too much of it

 

[tsumujikaze]

Originally posted by Defiant

How do you mean "overheating"? Is it just the gauge needle reading high, or IS the motor exhibiting overheating: fast idle, ping or knock, running-on? If it's just your gauge, start with the temp sender and wiring.

In a stop sign, the temperature just keep on climbing until i start moving

 

[echo]

sounds like your fan relay. i couldn't figure out what the hell the prob was. i noticed my fan wasn't turning on. check your fuse box closest to the air filter and check your fan relay. see if it's shot. get one for $20 at advance auto parts. fixed my problem.

 

[Doug99RS]

Check the sensors directly under your radiator cap (not on radiator). Make sure they are not covered with corrosion from coolant which tends to leak from the upper radiator hose and thermostat housing area as well as the cap itself.

The "A/C" fan is not souly for a/c. It is also a high speed fan which comes on for two reason. One to drop engine coolant temperature down when the low speed fan is not sufficient enough, Two drop condensor temperatures down to properly regulate a/c high side pressures.

First check all your fuses with a test light. Then swap the relay with another that comes from a known working system. Next remove the relay from the PDC (Power distribution center) next to the battery. It's the other "Fuse box". Insert a jumper wire (paper clip) from pin 30 to pin 87. These positions correspond with the relay you took out. Pins 30 and 87 complete the circuit from battery positive to the fan relay.

If this still does not work, unplug the fan module and use your test light to check for voltage at the fan itself while the relay is still being bypassed with the jumper wire. If the voltage is present then your fan is dead.
Let us know what you find and more information can be supplied.

p.s. some fluctuation is normal however, excessive flucuation can indicate an air pocket in the system, low/no flow, or a fan inop condition.

 

[gsjoeygst]

i know sounds dumb but i just want to know cause my engine is always extremly hot so i just want to know if that oer heating my the needle says its fine but i just want to know

 

[91TSi FWD]

Engines get hot after driving. Your temp guage starts at the cold mark right? Or is it stuck at the normal opperating temp? If it starts out cold and works its way up to the normal opperating temp, your fine.

BTW- check your coolant and oil level.

 

[Defiant]

Where's it hot, when you pop the hood? The turbo's right there in front, so things will seem hot when you open it up. Wanna really startle yourself? Take a good run at night, especially up a good hill, then pull over and pop the hood (leave the engine running). The turbo housing will be putting out enough light to read by. This is why you need to idle down before parking.
If your engine is overheating, the first indication will be the temp gauge maxing out (if it's working right), and then you'll hear the engine pinging. Shortly after that, things get drastically serious, and you'll probably blow the weakest hose or fitting on your cooling system. Then you start posting queries about engine rebuilding.
Keep one of those kitty litter jugs full of water behind the passenger seat, one day you'll save your or someone else's whole week.

 

[tsumujikaze]

To Everyone who has spent valuble time on this thanx alot the problem is fixed i've replaced my entire cooling system i.e waterpump, radiator(fluidyne), Thermostat, hoses, caps. on to the next problem NO START! help me out again guyz this is my 1st SM: i bought it cuz i hate hondas and the cars potential itself despite everyone sayin dsm have too much trouble. i also have a 91 LS 3000gt which is problem free. so help me start ma car will ya!

 

[fasteclipse1992]

my car is over heating i replaced the waterpump radiator and fans and bypassed the heater core. i replaced the radiator cap, and took out the termostat. i dunno if my head is cracked or warped, how can i tell if it is?

 

[laserblue]

More info please!!!

Does it overheat all the time? ... or only at idle?
How long does it take to overheat?
Does the temp gauge go into the red?
Does coolant squirt thru the overflow hose into the reservoir?
Does the radiator feel hot to the touch? How about the upper and lower hoses?
Can you verify that coolant is flowing?

If you are not blowing huge white vapor trails out the exhaust then probably there is not a crack.... That's good news!!

Let me know what you find out!!!!!

 

[fasteclipse1992]

ok it overheats i the red at idle and while driving, it does blow some white smoke but not all the time, mainly when i start it. while idling it dont smoke ,when u rev it up it blows very little if any smoke. coolant does squirt into overflow tank when it gets i the red. most of the coolant goes into the overflow can then rest the can cant catch overflows onto ground.